Saturday, May 24, 2008

THE PRICE OF A CHILD

The government, awhile back, calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to age 18 and came up with approximately $200,000 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock. And that does not include college tuition.

But $200,000 isn´t so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
* $11,111.11 a year
*$925.94 a month, or
*$213.68 a week.
*That´s a mere $30.53 a day!
*Just $1.27 an hour.

Still you might think the best financial advice is- don´t have children if you want to be "rich". Actually it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $200,000?
*Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
*Glimpses of God every day.
*Giggles under the covers every night.
*More love than your heart can hold.
*Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
*Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
*A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
*A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.
*Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $200,000, you never have to grow up. You get to:
*finger paint.
*carve pumpkins,
*play hide-and-seek.
*catch lightning bugs,
*and never stop believing in miracles.

You have an excuse to:
*keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh.
*watching Saturday morning cartoons,
*going to Disney movies, and
*wishing on stars.
*You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother´s Day, and cards with backward letters for Father´s Day.

For $200,000, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:
*retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
*taking the training wheels of a bike,
*removing a splinter,
*filling a wading pool,
*coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs,
*and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat to history to witness the:
*first step,
*first word,
*first bra,
*first date, and
*first time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you´re lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits. So.....one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.

That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Love and enjoy your children and grandchildren!!!!

11 comments:

The Osborne's said...

That's cute Mom. I liked that a lot!!

Steve and Eden said...

Enjoyed this. So true.

Rae said...

SO TRUE! Thanks for that perspective!

Anders Branderud said...

Hello! I found your website. My name is Anders Branderud and I am from Sweden. I just wanted to say hello!

I myself want to have children. My dream is to convert to Orthodox Judaism. Then I want to marry with a Jewess and have children; I also want to live in Israel. I am very thankful to the Creator that I have the possibility to practice the instructions in Torah – the Jewish Bible.

Before I were Christian for six years. Who then was the historical J*esus?


I am a follower of Ribi Yehoshua – Mashiakh – who practiced Torah including Halakhah with all his heart.
He was born in Betlehem 7 B.C.E . His faher name was Yoseiph and mother’s name was Mir′ yâm. He had twelve followers. He tought in the Jewish batei-haknesset (synagogues). Thousands of Jews were interested in His Torah-teachings. The “Temple” Sadducees (non-priests who bought their priest-ship in the “Temple” from the Romans, because they were assimilated Hellenist and genealogically non-priests acting as priests in the “Temple”; they were known by most 1st-century Jews as “Wicked Priests.” decided to crucify him. So they did - together with the Romans. His followers were called Netzarim (meaning offshoots [of a olive tree]) and they continued to pray with the other Jews in the synagogues.

Christianity does not teach the teachings of Ribi Yehoshua. Ribi Yehoshuas teachings were pro-Torah; Christianity is anti-Torah. 2 billions of Christians doesn’t follow Torah – that is definied as sin according to Torah.

If you want to learn more click at our website www.netzarim.co.il -- than click at the lick "Christians"; click at my photo to read about what made my switch religion from Christianity to Orthodox Judaism.

Anders Branderud
Follower of Ribi Yehoshua in Orthodox Judaism

Anonymous said...

since you honored me with a vist I thought i return the favor.my wife and I never had children nor did I in my first marriage as well.
and we are still "poor". we struggle every month on my disability income. The good thing is that we have a roof ovee our heads and in 10 years it will ours totally free and clear.as long as we can hang on to it.with the economy tanked I donot know if that will happen.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I'll be signing out with word press or my blogger site depends on how I feel at that time.

Rita said...

Kathie,
I am glad you found my blog--and I shall come back and visit yours. You do wonderful work and greetings to all the ladies!

My son has been a joy to me since his birth. Was told he wouldn't survive (he has a series of severe congenital heart defects). Long story. But he has always managed to stay alive long enough for them to come up with yet some other surgery to keep him alive. He's 33 years old!! All patched up and bionic--still on borrowed time--but aren't we all? And he married a special, wonderful woman six years ago. I am a firm believer in gratitude and positive thinking. :)

Glad to meet you!
Always, Rita

Paula said...

Lovely post! And thank you for your interesting comment on my romance novel post earlier.

Idamaria said...

i have 2 adult children, they have given me everything life has to offer and more. They are ten years apart by choice, my daughter is 32 and has been living in the most interesting city anywhere...NYC. My son is in college. I'm hoping to be a grandmother some day! I have been married for 35 yr. and reaching the point of retirement, but that will probably never happen...I love gardening, collaging, repurposing things, love old and worn. Life is short, can't seem to find time to do everything that peeks my creative spirit. I'm too selfish, I could never be a missionary...thank God for people like you! Please visit my blog again and my Etsy shop at www.guidoneetsy.etsy.com and I am going to visit your's right now...happy summer!

Unknown said...

This is so sweet and so right on. Just bumped into you, will be back for more visits!

Rita Ho said...

What a delightful read! I love-love-love children but can't have any owing to medical reasons. Fortunately, I have nieces and nephews plus friends who are always willing to let me borrow their kids for my mommy-fixes. :)

I enjoyed reading your blog too, Kathie and will be back. Rebecca's & Mike's blog was fun to visit as well. Mike and my husband have some things in common but during different eras.

Anonymous said...

Hi there!
Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving nice comments about my son. I hope you will visit often.
I love the quilts you have made. I wish I had the time and effort to learn to do that. My hobby is scrapbooking when I got a chance. I have a scrapbook blog too, the link is on the top of my post on my blog.
I hate to hear about your medical struggles, we should all have healthcare with no questions asked!